Gomenasai, Hinata-chan
by neonlion
Summary: Post-war; A loose rewrite of The Last: Naruto the Movie. "Naruto The Last" was incredible but one very influential part bothered me...Though Naruto's character development was well-paced and refreshingly natural, I hated how it all came to happen by a genjutsu. So, here's my take on Naruto and Hinata's patient love and how it would have began, minus the genjutsu...Please Review!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello!**

 **"Naruto The Last" was incredible but one very influential part bothered me...Though Naruto's character development was well-paced and refreshingly natural, I hated how it all came to happen by a genjutsu. So, here's my take on Naruto and Hinata's patient love and how it would have began-minus the genjutsu.**

 **Hello! All the follows, thank you. :) I wanted to clarify, the setting is the same in regards to Naruto and the gang being around 18 and the war having resolved a little more than two years ago. The only difference, as of now, is that Sasuke has returned from his soul-searching. Without further ado, enjoy and please review!**

 ***Story Under Construction***

 **These were previously chapters one through four, now they're condensed into one.**

 **Please Enjoy. :)**

* * *

"Nani?!" The bewildered blond shinobi cried, skipping back a few feet and nearly slamming into the small apartment's paste colored walls. His stoic, raven-haired partner held back a tired groan, running a cool finger across his temple. The tip glowed a soft green before misting away into its natural cold pearl.

"I told you, Dobe. It just happened."

Naruto's brow twitched but he was far too gone with the foreignness of the situation. Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura were to be married, officially husband and wife, by next month.

Naruto's taut nerves worked to unravel themselves as he struggled to form words. Of course, he was ecstatic for his two closest friends and oldest teammates. But, now out of nowhere…hadn't they all just been reunited? When did this happen? The blond gripped his head, spinning around in circles before shooting an accusatory finger at the man opposite to him. Said Ninja raised a dark brow, waiting.

Naruto paused, mouth coming open like a fish for air...Had he missed something!? Sasuke had apologized, sure, but how did that equal liking girls? He didn't think it was even possible for Sasuke to like girls...and liking Sakura-chan?!

"Spit it out, Baka. Think too hard and that thick head of yours will pop."

Naruto blinked. "Teme!" He spat. Seeing Sasuke's grin, his frown deepened. What did she see in him anyway?

The Uchiha, quickly growing bored of his best friend's familiar antics, stood up. Swiping some stray dirt off his pants, he looked up-eyes gleaming. Naruto shrunk back at the evil smile on his face. "Is it really so unbelievable?" Sasuke continued, chin raised. "She's not that heinous looking."

"I'LL KILL YOU!" A pair of angry blue eyes met jet black. He was so dead, Naruto thought. His eyes steeled as he gripped the collar of the Uchiha's shirt tighter. Poor Sakura-chan, she had been through a lot for him...If this was all some kind of crazy joke, he was gonna pay! Naruto stared hard into Sasuke's challenging smirk and was surprised when, eyes hardening, he looked away.

"It was only a joke, jeez." Naruto's eyes bugged again at his lax manner. Jokes? He sputtered. _Now, he's telling jokes and getting married._ The loose fabric of Sasuke's shirt slipped pathetically out of the blond's out-stretched hand as he sank to the floor in a disgruntled heap. The war had brought stranger happenings.

But still, Naruto couldn't shake the sincerity of the Uchiha's feelings. Sasuke and Sakura were going to get married.

Sasuke was going to have a family.

* * *

Family. That was what Naruto had allowed himself to think of that night in the dark moonlit apartment. The fall leaves crusted against the windowsill as another cool breeze brushed past. He stared out past the calm lights of Konoha.

Kaachan, touchan, his fingers bunched up his pockets. Sometimes, he wondered how they would have thought. How they would have felt, what they would have done. He had always hated returning after a long mission, knowing there was no one home. He felt his throat tighten as he swallowed down a dull, familiar ache.

It was dark.

Doesn't matter, he thought. Shaking his head, he kicked aside a stray ramen cup. Nothing to be done about it. Air gushed up his nostrils as he threw up an encouraging punch, holding it out toward the night air. His dream was to become Hokage, to make his parents proud, a dream that was becoming more and more real with each passing day. He smiled. He had family, he thought. The village was his family, to ask for anything more would have been selfish. With that, Uzumaki Naruto fell into a peaceful sleep, unaware of a pair of pale lavender eyes staring up at the very same night sky.

* * *

 _Naruto-kun_ , Hinata's thoughts echoed his name, as they often did, while she drifted down the busy morning streets of the Hidden Leaf Village. Was he feeling alright? From what she had seen of him in the brief chance encounters they had had, he seemed to be a bit down. His downcast expression flashed past her eyes. Almost wilted. Her heart sunk.

The winter was coming, that meant shorter days and longer nights. _It must be hard_ , she thought, _even for someone as warm and sunny as Naruto-kun._ She ached at the thought, grasping for some kind of solution. There must be something she could do…Had he been eating properly? Just as she pondered this, one of her favorite smells caught her attention. She couldn't…could she? No… _That's it!_ She thought. Smiling wide, she made a beeline for the closest shop.

* * *

"Naruto-niichan!" Konohamaru called, waving at the towering blond.

"Oh, ohayo, Konohamaru." Naruto stuck out an arm to give a friendly wave before tucking both hands back into his pockets.

"There's something I have to show you."

"This stuff belonged to Grandpa Hiruzen. I found it while cleaning up—HEY!" Naruto nearly dropped the aged trinket he had been holding gingerly in his hands. With wide eyes, his head whipped up to catch the chunin's disapproving stare. "Be careful with that." Konohamaru sniffed, "this stuff is very valuable."

"Sure." Naruto grinned, carefully putting aside the familiar-looking monkey toy. Of course it was.

Carrying suspicion in his eyes, Konohamaru went back to rummaging through another small pile of boxes. "Ah! Here it is. My grandfather must have kept it for her..."

* * *

 _Kaachan,_ Naruto's eyes deepened as they pooled around the soft material of the scarf. _Arigato,_ the word echoed inside him with each step as he walked. Submerged, he was almost surprised to find himself at his team's old training grounds. Carefully folding the precious gift into the square of his stripped jacket, he grinned-gripping his heart through the fabric of his t-shirt. "Yoshi!"

A couple hours later, that was where Hinata had found him-a sweaty, proud, mess. _Naruto-kun,_ she smiled. Of course he would be here, pushing himself harder and harder every day, refusing to give up. She gripped the bag of warm cinnamon buns tightly, taking a round of short shaky breaths. She could do this, she would do this, she thought. Her fingers prickled against the rough bark of the old oak as she watched the sun tickle his skin, illuminating the bright streaks of blond in his hair. Sakura's words floated up again.

 _Be brave,_ she thought.

* * *

"Caught you, Hinata-chan." In an instant, he had vanished from his sunny spot on the grass to the shaded spot right behind her back. She jumped, whipping around to face his bright smile. "What's up?"

Her cheeks burned as she stared up at him, wide-eyed and speechless. "O-o..." He cocked his head to the side, brows knitted together and lip jutted out, watching her piece it together. "O-Ohayo, Naruto-kun!" He smiled, enjoying the sound of her voice.

"Ohayo, Hinata-chan!" He beamed. She loved the way his eyes crinkled when he grinned. Momentarily dazed, she slowly smiled back up at him. She watched as his expression began to shift, taking in a couple sniffs. "Hey, what's in the bag?" He gestured toward the steaming treats, guarded tightly behind Hinata's crossed arms. She blushed harder, pressing gently against his chest, encouraging him to take a step backward.

"Have you eaten yet, Naruto-kun?" His stomach rumbled in response. Scratching the back of his head, he threw her a guilty grin.

A couple minutes later the two found themselves surrounded by fluffy cinnamon buns and gooey wrappers. The sun-baked grass felt lovely against Hinata's pale legs, daring her to stretch out a little further. She gave in blissfully, enjoying the sweet taste. Naruto sat cross-legged beside her, continuing to stuff his face with the delicious goodness. She smiled softly, eyes drinking up every bit of him. What a precious gift today had become. She made a silent promise to appreciate every bit of it.

"Hinata-chan," the hesitance in his voice shook her out of her stupor. Readjusting, she stared back at him.

"Hai?" He tugged at his short hair, frowning when the sticky icing traveled from his fingers. She would have smiled at his endearing clumsiness, if not so concerned by his abnormal demeanor.

"Have you...uh...Sasuke and Sakura-chan..."

"Are to be married?" She ventured, filling in the words.

"EXACTLY!" He cried, excitedly waving on her encouragement. She smiled, waiting patiently for him. Visibly, he deflated. "Uh..." His blue eyes deepened, staring past her.

Hinata dug through her head, worry fueling her search. What could have upset him? Did he still have feelings for Sakura-san? Her throat clenched but she buried it as she searched deeper.

 _Naruto-kun_ , she whispered his name inside her heart. She wanted him to be happy, so, so happy. In the end, it didn't matter if it wasn't with her. But for him to love Sakura-san...Helpless. She felt useless. How could she help that? Sakura-san was so...content, happy. She deserved nothing but encouragement and support and that's what Hinata planned to give her.

"Have you ever liked someone?" That stopped her. Choking mid-swallow, she fell into a flurry of coughs—becoming distracted once again as she felt his large, warm hand rubbing reassuring circles into her back.

Naruto, having seen her sudden struggle, only thought to do what he had seen Kurenai-sensei do for her small daughter, Mirai. So, he had no idea why all of the sudden Hinata's struggles multiplied ten-fold-her face turning redder than a tomato and coughs making her eyes water. His face pinched with worry. "Hinata-chan! Awh, man! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to freak you out, ugh, I should have warned ya…" Gaining back control of herself, she missed his cheeks slightly pink.

"I-it's alright, Naruto-kun! G-Gomen, I should have been more careful…" She frowned down at the abandoned wrapper next to her, as if trying to pass on the blame. Shoveling down the embarrassment of her choking episode, she took a hesitant breath—looking back up to face him. "What makes you a-ask such a question?"

"Oh," he frowned, his rough palm still gently pressed against her lower back. She actively worked to ignore that and the accompanying goosebumps which came with it. "I don't know," he trailed. But, he did. He did know.

He knew but he didn't understand the way Sasuke would talk only with Sakura-chan, sharing some kind of humorous inner dialogue. He knew but he didn't get the way Sasuke held her, subtly but always purposefully—making the most innocent of gestures inherently intimate. He knew but could never imitate the way Sasuke secretly smiled at her, awkward and quick but carrying some kind of mysterious feeling he couldn't quite keep up with. It was different, different from anything he had ever experienced. It felt a bit lonely, like it was out of place for him to be there.

"Naruto-kun...?" She said. He blinked, re-seeing her. Dark indigo hair shaped the pained face of the lavender-eyed kunoichi. He frowned, he didn't like seeing his friend hurt. "You don't have to...to feel alone."

He blanched. It was as if she had directly heard him. "Just watching them," she continued, "doesn't it make you feel hopeful?" Seeing his confused expression, she gave a shy smile. Her fingers itched to twiddle together as they always did when she happened to be especially nervous. "L-Love is...like fire. It spreads, warming everyone around it. So, there's never reason for you to feel alone."

He sat quietly, mulling over her words. Her voice grew more concentrated, yet somehow softer. "Naruto-kun, many, many people love you." He looked up at her, eyes burning lightly but in the good way-the way that meant you were happy.

* * *

A little while later, the stuffed and happily content blond shinobi found himself lazily gazing at one of his favorite people. He watched as she comically stared down one of the few remaining cinnamon buns. Yes, he definitely liked people like her. He nudged her, earning a surprised squeak. "So, the guy you like..."

"Hai, Naruto-kun?" Hinata sighed, he'd eventually wrestled it out of her, refusing to take no for an answer.

"Did he start out with 'Gomenasai' too?" Hinata's peeling laughter took him by surprise, tugging at the corners of his lips until they lifted upward.

* * *

 **That's it for now, what's to come? Please review! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! I'm sorry I'm late. I had a lot of difficulty writing this one...Going forward, I knew what I had to do but I just didn't want to do it...Haha, writing woes. Anywho! I finally figured out the direction I'm going to go.**

 **The reviews this past week have been-amazing and so helpful! You all warm my heart. Regarding the length of these chapters...we'll see. They've been short because I've wanted to update as frequently as possible without loosing the quality of the writing.**

 **As always, please enjoy and a big thank you for the follows. :)**

* * *

 _It's cold_. Naruto shivered, pulling the wrinkled green fabric closer around his throat. The wind pinched bitter and quick against his exposed skin. He never liked the cold, he thought, he never liked the Winter. His eyes crossed, staring at the growing pink spot on his nose.

In the week and a half that had passed since enjoying warm cinnamon buns and sunlight, the weather had changed drastically. The shift in seasons was blatant and brutal. He sniffled. "hah-haaa-HAHGST!" Letting out a loud sneeze, he sloppily rubbed at his nose. A group of passing girls giggled. Oblivious, he concentrated on the left over burn after accidentally snuffing up a stray fuzz. _Brutal_ , he thought.

"Gomenasai!" Naruto's ears perked up at the familiar voice, lips slowly stretching into a wide smile. Alight, he suddenly didn't feel so cold.

* * *

"Still as clumsy as ever, eh, Hinata?" The wild-looking shinobi's barked laughter filled the cluttered street. Hinata puffed out her cheeks before bowing again to the disgruntled shopper. After seeing they had taken their leave, she motioned to retrieve the fallen item. Long indigo hair fell loose past her shoulders as the young woman bent forward, tucking a lock behind her ear.

"Shush, Kiba-kun." She scooped something into her hand, next re-adjusting the strap of her overloaded shoulder bag. Naruto peeked over just in time to see her swat playfully at her old teammate. "No thanks to you."

"Awh, come on, Hinata. Don't be mad, you should have seen the look on her face—priceless!" The dog ninja danced around her, arms spread wide in demonstration. The girl's cheeks pinked, clearly berating herself. Unhappy with her lack of response, Kiba sniffed. "She had a stick up her ass anyway." Naruto couldn't miss the twist of a smile making its way on to the Hyuga's face. He felt himself grin too. What he failed to catch was the subtle twinkle in her eye.

"Kiba-kun!" The petite girl whipped around, taking the brunette on with far more force than necessary. The target immediately shrunk back as did Naruto—aghast. "You've expressed behavior that is not befitting of a shinobi." She continued, her voice carried a deep and vaguely rehearsed authoritative tone. Taking a step closer, her eyes became level with his chest. "You must face the consequences!" And with that, Hinata smashed the retrieved cupcake on top of his head.

"AARCK! KUSO! OI, HINATA!" Naruto's cheeks puffed, holding back a loud laugh.

It was too late, the ex-heiress had long since jumped out of shooting-range and was now slightly bent forward in laughter. Naruto had never seen her laugh like that before. Her whole body shook with each wave as she tried fruitlessly to cover her mouth with her hands. Her face turned bright shades of pink as her eyes stuck crinkled closed. The giddiness of Hinata's prank bubbled out of him. _Beautiful,_ he thought.

"I'm leaving!" Naruto refocused at Kiba's angry shout, as did Hinata. Sobering up quick, she immediately regretted her actions. She never intended to seriously upset her friend. She should have known better with his quick temper.

"Chotto matte kudasai!"

"Forget it! I'm going home." Kiba hooked a right, stomping away in the opposite direction. She was left only to watch his retreating form. What Hinata couldn't see was the mischievous smile crossing his face. The Inuzuka had long since been aware of the familiar blond shinobi's scent. "Catch you later, Hinata." He called back, hoping to spare her some worry but not enough so to spare her from the embarrassment soon to come.

"G-Gomen." She sighed softly to herself, unsure he had even heard.

* * *

A handful of minutes had passed and still Hinata continued to stare glumly into the ground. That was until she felt a pair of large warm hands clap firmly down on to her shoulders. She jumped.

"Ohayo, Hinata-chan!" Wide lavender eyes met dark blue as she blinked, staring up at him. "What're you up to?" His face shone with an encouraging smile which she couldn't help but shyly smile at too.

"Ohayo, Naruto-kun."

* * *

 **That's it for now, what's to come? Please review. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! Oh my gosh...hello! Ah, there's much to say...**

 **To clarify: many of you have asked if Naruto has forgotten Hinata's confession at this point. The answer is no. :) Just like in "The Last", Naruto remembers but he doesn't fully understand that kind of love (romantic love) or really get that it could be meant for him.**

 **This chapter...Argh, very difficult to pump out. Thank you for being so patient with me. :) I'm torn between the two possible directions for it to go...My biggest goal is to stay as close to character as possible. Whatever choice I make, I will be keeping this in mind.**

 **Your reviews, your follows, your favorites-how you woo me. Thank you so much for your love and support.**

 **Lastly, I'm sorry for any grammar issues...Even if I'm late delivering it, this story will have an end. :) Enjoy and please review!**

* * *

A handful of minutes had passed and still Hinata continued to stare glumly into the ground. That was until she felt a pair of large warm hands clap firmly down on to her shoulders. She jumped.

"Ohayo, Hinata-chan!" Wide lavender eyes met dark blue as she blinked, staring up at him. "What're you up to?" His face shone with an encouraging smile which she couldn't help but shyly smile at too.

"Ohayo, Naruto-kun."

* * *

The cold gripped around them again as he studied her eyes, noticing the slight shimmer pooling at their rims. Something wasn't right. He felt his hand twitch, about to reach out to her as she quickly shook her head, indigo hair flying everywhere before settling again around the collar of her thin coat. His lips pursed. It's too cold, he thought.

A second passed and Hinata worked to regain herself. Of course, of course he would appear here now…reminding her to stay strong...She had been acting so silly! Everything would be alright. Kiba-kun didn't often stay mad for long and besides—even if he did—she would do whatever it took to make things right because…that was her nindo; to never give up, to never go back on her word! Raising her head, she smiled up at him. A real, genuine smile. "Gomen, Naruto-kun. You surprised me." She filled the silence, answering his unspoken question.

"Yeah…" He continued to stare, eyes glued to her heart-shaped face, not following the sudden change. He was already decided; to see for himself if something was truly wrong or not and, if it was, figure out what he could do to help.

After a couple of dragged moments, she peeked up at him—swallowing down the awkward silence. The intense feeling of his soul-searching eyes unsettled her. She tentatively looked back, feeling her cheeks darken. The intimacy of his stare was…uncomfortable…

Hand gripping his chin, he watched her fidget—staring harder. All of the sudden, her expression shone so much brighter but…his eyes swam to her twiddling fingers, _why was she doing that_? His lip jutted out further as he dipped his face down closer, nose an inch away from hers. Short shaky breaths brushed against his lips.

Blue, she sputtered. All she could see was azure blue and his signature whiskers. She couldn't begin to imagine her expression as he moved closer, small puffs of air escaping his nose as his brows scrunched together. "O-o…" Panic. _Onegai,_ his eyes widened, _move away!_ She couldn't take it.

* * *

" **ITAIII**!"

Naruto's loud cry rung through the village, its echos reaching the far outskirts, causing the birds to fly up and seek better shelter. In the distance, a quiet "Dobe" could be heard followed by the shrill shout of an angry Haruno Sakura.

In another corner of the village, Shikamaru lay sprawled awkwardly across the worn chair of Konoha's Cryptology Office. "Moron," he muttered, re-adjusting into a more comfortable position before letting his eyes gently slide shut.

* * *

Mortified. Hinata was mortified. She could not believe what she had just done. The images flashed through her in a blur…so close, he had been so close! Without thinking, her chin yanked down-forehead cracking into the bridge of his nose.

Recalling the memory, she lit up—face burning brighter. Maybe, maybe if she were lucky, she'd burn away—soaring like embers into the sky and away from anymore future embarrassment. Her sulking aura contrasted wildly against the bright peppy aura of the bouncing blond beside her. She opened her mouth to try again, for the millionth time, "Naruto-kun, Gomena—"

"Daijoubu, Hinata-chan!" He laughed, arm pulled back to scratch behind his head. The white bandage she had insisted he wear glared pointedly back at her. Her eyes widened. The guilt, it was almost too much to bear. "I heal quick anyway." He continued, smiling easily at her beaten expression.

He didn't know why, but seeing her like that…somehow, it made him ache. He didn't like seeing her sad…Come to think of it, he never liked seeing anyone sad. It was something about the lines around the face…but to see Hinata-chan sad…It was something he refused to endure. Hand shooting out, he easily clutched hers. She jumped up with a start at the unexpected warmth.

"Ne, Hinata-chan. What'd you say you were up to today? Let's do it together, okay?" He grinned. She stared, drinking in the eye-crinkled smile she loved so much. Her lips turned up on their own.

"Hai!" she said.

* * *

It was always easier than he thought, he said inside his heart—walking contently along beside her. He found, he never needed to shout to be heard. It felt so natural, it was almost weird. His fingers knuckled inside his free pocket as he observed her, listening to her unique commentary on one of his latest endeavors.

That was the other weird part, after enthusiastically jumping around and sharing his detailed narrative, he found himself truly wanting to listen to hers. He found himself naturally falling silent, wanting to hear her. He always craved the sound of another human voice, hating the solitude in silence. But, this was past that, he found himself enjoying the sound of her. He enjoyed walking beside her.

As the two walked, Naruto noticed many of their mutual friends calling Hinata over—offering her what appeared to be gifts. With each parcel, she would bow deeply—smiling fondly at the giver before gently piling it into her over-sized purse. His brows drew together, expressing his confusion as they drifted through town, into the Yamanaka flower shop and out again. Through her handfuls of sunflowers, Hinata noticed his concentrated pout. She giggled at his childish antics until he grinned—reaching out an arm to help carrying her things. But, as they drew closer to the calm grasslands of Hinata's destination, Naruto's peaceful spirit dissipated.

* * *

"Ohayo, Neji-Niisan." She bent forward, knees snuggled comfortably beside the stone. Naruto rigidly followed in suit, pained eyes staring from her gentle look to the small grave. He felt choked, until she continued—comfortingly gripping his hand.

"Neji-Niisan, Lee-San sent these leg warmers for you. I imagine he wanted to keep you from catching a cold." She chuckled softly, reaching into her bag and pulling out the bright orange material. The boy's eyes deepened, listening fully to her.

"He misses you too. Everyone misses you." Her fingers carefully traced the stone. Pulling back again, she placed the flowers. "I've been training hard, just like you've always helped me to do. Hanabi too has been fighting her hardest…I think you inspire her." She smiled, seeing something Naruto couldn't.

The Future Hokage moved his eyes down to the stone, letting them push closed. A cold wind tousled his hair as he concentrated deeply, fully appreciating his precious friend.

 _Nani, Naruto-kun. Scared to say hello?_ He could hear the late Hyuga's mocking tone, echoing through him.

 _Tsh,_ he bit back. _Scared, who?_

* * *

Hinata watched as the blond stayed perfectly still, having gone somewhere far away. She waited, her worry taking him away further. She waited until his bright steeled eyes suddenly opened, filled with a new kind of strength. He exuded a familiar determination that made her feel warm, comforted. The blond threw out a fist, holding it boldly against the stone.

 _I promise._ His rough voice filled with assurance. "Yakusoku, 'ttebayo!" He said. Hinata softly smiled.

 _Are you watching, Neji-Niisan?_

* * *

 **That's it for now, what's to come? Please review. ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! I missed you! Let's get to it...please review!**

* * *

"GiAah!" she hit hard, tumbling recklessly into the ground. Sharp, wheezing breaths strangled out past her lips as she unclenched her fists. Shuddering.

 _What a feeling._ With the air knocked out of her, she was thankful—grateful to the moon for its privacy and comfort. Her heart dribbled. A drop of blood licked the cold dirt as she pushed herself up once more from the torn, angry earth.

 _Not good enough._ She breathed. Long indigo hair rained down her battered face, curtaining pale blazing eyes. _If I can make my chakra stronger, sharper, bigger, more intense. More._ She centered herself once again, aggressively holding her arms in place. _More._ Her heart settled back into place.

A gentle, authoritative baritone tugged at her chest. _"Good."_ She heard, or at least imagined him say. A small, soft smile whisked its way across her face, leaving a cool concentrated line in its wake. Entering fighting stance, she pressed her arms firmly by her sides, stretched out, daringly ahead. _Again!_

She charged.

* * *

"Naruto!" A familiar voice called, catching him by the arm as he was about to turn into his favorite shop.

"Oh! Ohayo, Sakura-chan!" He grinned, re-adjusting himself to better receive her cheerful expression.

The warmth of the ramen stand radiated off her cheeks, tickling the pink spots left behind from the cold. _She looks so happy,_ Naruto thought. He couldn't remember the last time he saw her with such a smile. He felt himself grin wider, eyes crinkling at her raised brow.

"Ramen, again?" He blinked. A long pause followed as he played catch up.

"You got me!" Sakura rolled her eyes at his cheeky laugh but smiled, appreciating his familiar habits.

So quickly, so much had changed. She felt something similar to whiplash. It was wonderful. She was stupidly and incurably happy but still…it was change. She warmed at the thought of cherishing something that hadn't.

"Naruto…" The lights had dimmed as the night progressed, imitating the transformation of steady conversation into comfortable silence shared between the two. The blond shinobi looked up from his fourth bowl, gentle, eager eyes encouraging her to continue. She blew out a small puff of air, placing down her utensils. "What is your dream?"

He blinked, brows knitting together. He looked to her, confused. Had she missed something? Kami-sama forbid, had he not been clear enough? His light expression turned cautious as he squinted down at her, was she sick? Dare he admit it, he felt minimally wounded. After a suspicious pause, he turned away with a huff.

"To become Hokage, of course!" His voice barreled up with enthusiasm before flopping back down. "Geez, Sakura-chan, I had thought you would have known that by now…" He pouted, lip jutted out and ignorant to her growing ferocity. Suddenly, through the billowing steam of his ramen bowl, he felt a chill.

"MORON!" He jumped, blue eyes widening. "Of course I knew that!" Feelings of relief and fear crashed over him simultaneously as he shrunk back, arms held protectively above his chest. She twitched, fist awakened by his stupidity. "I meant AFTERWARD!" Her voice rang louder in the silence of the question.

"Afterward?"

She watched as he slowly began to deflate, almost a little sorry she had asked such a question. Lost, the blues of his eyes swam deeper. Finally, he replied with a soft murmur.

"I…I don't know."

* * *

 _Afterward_ …He hummed aloud to himself. He hadn't mulled over the thought of "afterward." It just wasn't something he had ever really wanted to do. The busy evening traffic of Konoha had long since died away. His heavy footsteps and soft breaths were the only ones to claim sound over the hushed and calmed atmosphere. Images of the conversation that followed stole his thoughts, weighing heavily down on each foot.

 _"Ne, Naruto." The kunoichi's gentle look brought back his attention. "Have you ever thought of building a family?"_

 _"The village is my family." She frowned._

 _"I meant, a family of your own."_

 _"Of my own…"_

The bottom of his shoe dragged as he slowed to a stop. That was…That was just something that wasn't meant for him. Shaking his head, short blond spikes tousled through the air, ridding himself of such sticky thoughts, he continued onward. _Besides_ , he thought, _before you have a family, you have to have love._ He wasn't sure he even knew how to have love—that kind of love.

His thoughts halted to a stop as he sensed a nearby familiar presence. What would have been a large smile broke across his face into a worried frown as he shot ahead—gaining ground to meet the petite prone figure.

* * *

"Hiashi-sama, are you sure?" The Sixth Hokage had his chin rested casually atop his knuckles, masking the heavy tension in the room. His dark eyes spoke volumes, contrasting boldly against the blinding white of the Hyuga Head. The desperate man stood taller.

"This was not a choice I had wanted to make, Kakashi-san. I had hoped you would have better understood my position." The man's brows pinched further together, his lips pressed firmly down into a hard line. These were the only signs of The Clan Head's acute vulnerability. Kakashi silently noted the out-of-place cracks in his normally formal and politely withdrawn exterior.

"Are there no other options?" The man paused, uncertainty bleeding out once again.

"I must protect my family."

* * *

 **That's it for now. What's to come? Please review. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**And we're back, back, back! Back again, again, again! Hello, hi! How're you? I hope you're doing well. I know this is short but more is coming very soon. It's more like a preview of what's to come. Please enjoy and review! :D**

* * *

"MORON!" He jumped, blue eyes widening. "Of course I knew that!" Feelings of relief and fear crashed over him simultaneously as he shrunk back, arms held protectively above his chest. She twitched, fist awakened by his stupidity. "I meant AFTERWARD!" Her voice rang louder in the silence of the question.

"Afterward?"

She watched as he slowly began to deflate, almost a little sorry she had asked such a question. Lost, the blues of his eyes swam deeper. Finally, he replied with a soft murmur.

"I…I don't know."

 _Afterward_ …He hummed aloud to himself. He hadn't mulled over the thought of "afterward." It just wasn't something he had ever really wanted to do. The busy evening traffic of Konoha had long since died away. His heavy footsteps and soft breaths were the only ones to claim sound over the hushed and calmed atmosphere. Images of the conversation that followed stole his thoughts, weighing heavily down on each foot.

" _Ne, Naruto." The kunoichi's gentle look brought back his attention. "Have you ever thought of building a family?"_

" _The village is my family."_

 _She frowned._

" _I meant, a family of your own."_

" _Of my own…"_

The bottom of his shoe dragged as he slowed to a stop. That was…That was just something that wasn't meant for him. Shaking his head, short blond spikes tousled through the air, ridding himself of such sticky thoughts. He continued onward. _Besides_ , he thought, _before you have a family, you have to have love._ He wasn't sure he even knew how to have love—that kind of love.

His thoughts halted to a stop as he sensed a nearby familiar presence. What would have been a large smile broke across his face into a worried frown as he shot ahead—gaining ground to meet the petite prone figure.

* * *

 _In, out._ Quick, shallow breaths pushed past her lips. _In, out._ Darkness pulled her in deeper as she lay there, smiling into the ground. The flood of euphoria was dizzying. She did it. She couldn't believe it…she had done it! _Neji-Niisan,_ she could feel his pride enveloping her. Her lips tugged apart wider. _Naruto-kun._

 _In, out._ Gathering up the energy for one last push, she huffed, flipping herself on to her back and wincing as she brought her arm up to lay gingerly across her burning eyes. The cool, light pressure felt lovely. The ex-heiress's eyes buzzed with pain, her body ached, and she was more one-big bruise than human but she couldn't find it in herself to complain. _Arigato, Naruto-kun._ His name danced across her lips. _Arigato,_ the word whispered out from her heart.

It was all because of him. He was the reason she had learned what it felt like, to be a proud failure. His smile flashed across her eyes. To never give up. Drifting in and out, overwhelmed with satisfied exhaustion, her mind numbed over as she imagined a distant voice calling out to her.

"HINA—"The voice faded.

"—TA! HINATA!" Sudden warmth, like a blazing ray of sunlight caught her. She fell limp. Her arm slipped as she lifted upward, her head lulling into the cradle of two strong, comforting arms. So warm. She weakly nuzzled in deeper. A big puff of air clumsily expelled over her head as the body surrounding her heaved a heavy sigh of relief.

 _Why so scared?_ She wondered, frowning at the rapid beating tucked close around her ear. She fell deeper. The body seemed to have finished its panicked work, finally settling around her. _In, out._ Feeling for her fingers, she pulled her arm back up against her face. _Shh,_ she murmured. Gently, her fingers pressed up against the large chest, brushing soft lip-less kisses into its hot flesh. "—'re okay." She murmured, "shh." She felt the body still. "You're okay."

* * *

Naruto's wide eyes blinked, gawking at the indigo-haired kunoichi filling his arms. _Why?_ Her head lulled as she snuggled in closer, fitting in right under his chin. His mind blanked again, he couldn't quite catch up with his thoughts. He couldn't feel anything, for that matter, except— _Thank goodness._ Another shaky breath jumped past his lips. _Hinata._ Despite being so chilled from the night air, her fingers felt deceptively warm as they gently pressed against his skin—her touch bleeding through the thin fabric of his shirt.

" _You're okay."_ She had murmured. Was he okay? Before, he definitely wasn't. His heart pounded against the footprint of his intense fear, the thought of losing another of his precious friends. _"You're okay."_ He couldn't stop looking down at her. He shivered against the light pressure.

 _It's too cold._ Awkwardly, he pulled out an arm to scoop the material of his jacket closer around her before gently catching her fingers. His large hand dwarfed hers. A reluctant smile tugged at his lips. He was only okay if she was okay, his precious friend.

Her peaceful expression contrasted wildly against his inner feud. A mysterious, nameless agitation worked its way inside him. He understood training your hardest and was more often than not guilty of training stupid rather than smart, but this was beyond excessive. The rotted panic burrowed deeper, molding his face into a heavy frown. But, slowly, as he continued to hold her, it died away. Her breaths exorcised his fears as they became deeper, more relaxed. He became thawed by her.

Hard, prickling bark bit into his neck as he pulled his chin upward, his back supported by the old oak tree. Blond spikes danced as he shook his head, sweeping away his thoughts. He shocked himself at the silliness of it, but he had almost thought he wanted to join her. With a quiet chuckle, he scooped her up, grounded with a newer kind of calm. "Time to get you healed up, Hinata-chan."

His chakra had made significant progress on her overall health but he wanted to make sure she got all necessary treatment. Nothing could be missed, especially if she continued to insist on training so hard. "Hang in there, Hinata-chan."

The moonlight lit the blond shinobi's path as he concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. As he got closer to Konoha's treatment center, he couldn't help himself from stealing another quick peek. _Kami-sama._ The goofy grin could not be stopped as he took in the child-like content on her sleeping face. The blues of his eyes crinkled shut as he chuckled. "You sure are amazing, Hinata-chan."

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 **Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, everyone! :D AAAHH! ALMOST TO 50 REVIEWS! Thank you so much for your patience, follows, favorites, and reviews. Your support means so much to me as well as inspires me to keep writing.**

 **Please forgive the grammar uh-ohs...Heh, I was a little too eager to post. :P My spring break is almost over which means there will be a lot less time to write. However, I've really picked up the pacing on these next two chapters. And, I've already written 2/3rds of the next one. So, expect more to come soon.**

 **Enjoy and please review!**

* * *

 _"You sure are amazing, Hinata-chan!"_ The dream had been echoing through her head since she had left the hospital earlier that week. _"Hinata-chan!"_ His bright, sunny smile popped into her head. _"You sure are amazing…"_ Amazing? She continued nibbling her lip as she meandered slowly through town. If only she could pinpoint what she had done to earn such praise, imaginary or not.

"Hinata-chan!" She jumped.

"Ohayo, Sakura-san." The ex-heiress offered a warm smile to her favorite pink-haired kunoichi. She was met with a defiant pout.

"Sakura-CHAN, Hinata! Geez," Sakura rolled her eyes at the petite kunoichi's concerned, puzzled frown. "You must agree; we've known each other long enough to graduate from 'san' at least."

"Oh!" Her face changed immediately, lighting up with happy relief. "Hai, Ohayo, Sakura-sa—Sakura-chan!" The indigo-haired woman gave a deep bow before popping back up with a bright-eyed salute.

What would have been an amused chuckle came out as a soft gasp as Sakura caught sight of the woman's arm, immediately pulling it closer for further inspection. Hinata winced.

A low dismayed sound whistled out Sakura's lips. "You just got out of the infirmary this week and already I see new tissue damage and bruising." The Hyuga remained silent.

"Hinata-chan, you do know, the war is over…" She teased. That comment cracked a short smile.

"Hai, Sakura-chan. Sorry to worry you."

"It's still tough being all grown-up in a noble family, huh?" Her eyes softened with her smile as she conjured a bulb of healing chakra to begin patching up her friend. Hinata flinched before restraining a blissful sigh as she sagged into her friend's gifted touch.

"Hai, but," she smiled. "I've a very important duty to uphold."

"And, that 'very important duty' would be?" Sakura teased, smiling wider at the Hyuga's poorly hidden relief.

More easily straightening up her stance, Hinata briefly admired Sakura's handiwork before offering a proud, close-eyed smile. "Hanabi-chan's birthday is coming soon."

* * *

"Oi! HInaTA-CHAAAN!" Both pink and indigo head's whipped around as they observed the towering blond happily running up to meet them. Sakura smirked at the petite girl's too bright answering smile.

To say Hinata was surprised by the sudden increased presence of Konoha's Number One Knuckle-headed Ninja was a severe understatement. She was overjoyed by it. Whether she was running the paved streets of the village to finish a couple errands or barely catching her breath after pushing herself to her limits at the training grounds, he would always happen to be there-eager to be in her company.

"Hey, Naruto."

The blond came to a skidding stop, almost barreling into the two kunoichis. "Oh! Hey, Sakura-chan!" At Hinata's muffled laugh, he threw a hand behind his head, exposing a foxy grin. "Heh, almost didn't see you there." The pinkette twitched but Hinata's happiness was contagious. _Clumsy idiot,_ she thought, reaching up to knock her free fist not-so-lightly against his head.

"ITAIII! SAKURA-CHAANNNNNN! Why're you always so quick to use your crazy monster strengthhh?" The blond whined, successfully making a larger scene than he already had. A small group of surrounding villagers giggled at his exaggerated pout as he rubbed his newly sore spot.

"THAN WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, BAKA!" Hinata felt her lips tug up into a soft smile as she watched her precious people and their special love they had for each other. What was once admiration and longing, she now felt as appreciation and love. She stepped back slightly, wanting to give them their space without interruption. That was the plan anyway, until Konoha's number one unpredictable ninja caught her behind the waist.

"HINATA-CHAN, SAVE ME!" _S-save him? His arms…when did his arms get so big?_ She was scared to move, she couldn't think. He was wrapped around her like a vine. The feeling, she was all nerve endings.

She could feel her cheeks burning brighter and brighter. _So warm._ Dizziness tickled the edge of her vision as she worked to gain control. _Kami-sama, what should I do?_ she thought furiously. She had to breathe!

Naruto wasn't entirely sure how he ended up here, in this new interesting position. But, he surprised himself at how tempting it was to take advantage of it, to snuggle in deeper. He never realized how _good_ Hinata smelled, like lavender and vanilla. His once wide eyes were now half-closed, inhaling deeper her calming scent. Naturally, his hold tightened around her. She squeaked, causing him to pop back up to reality.

"Awh, man! Gomen, Hinata-chan." Scratching the back of his head, he observed her flustered expression. "Heh, that was pretty rude of me, huh?" He waited…and waited. "Hinata-chan?" He reached out a finger to poke her puffed cheek. Concerned gripped around him as he noticed her changing complexion from pale white to bright pink to dark purple. Could she breathe? Why wouldn't she breathe?! He shot up close to her face, waving his arms around, begging her to breathe. "Hinata-chan! Are you okay? What happened? Did you get hurt?! Do you need a doctor?"

"N.a.r.u.t.o." Each letter crawled out like a curse. A chill colder than the bitter winds of hell swelled around the blond shinobi. He froze, timidly peeking behind him. The left over bits of him, not cowering in fear, relished in the relief of hearing soft breaths wiggling past Hinata's teeth.

"H-hai, Sakura—"

" **NARUTO, YOU PERVERT!** "

* * *

A couple of long, dragged-out moments later, filled with Hinata's pleading and Sakura's unrestrained fury, the blond was able to explain his initial reason for stopping by: both Hinata and himself were requested to meet with The Sixth Hokage.

"Ah, so that's how it is…" The pinkette murmured to herself, observing the odd familiarity between the two. The tall blond dwarfed the petite Hyuga, yet somehow seemed stuck to her. Every direction she turned, any which way she moved, he would adjust himself accordingly. He would do all of this yet the indigo-haired kunoichi remained oblivious, actively doting over him, making sure to allot him enough space which he would readily crowd. The taller woman stroked her chin, feeling her lips pull into a knowing smile. _Finally,_ she grinned.

"Be safe you two!" Sakura waved before staring pointedly at her old teammate. He scowled, still sour about the uncalled for beating.

"Come on, Hinata-chan." He roughly snagged her hand, not at all hiding his concentrated pout. She offered him a sympathetic smile before wiggling out of his grasp to give Sakura a proper goodbye.

"Arigato, Sakura-Sa—Chan!" Hinata bowed deeply in thanks as again Sakura waved off her formality with a grin. "My arm feels much better now."

"I'm glad," she smiled. "Oh, and Hinata?"

"Hai?"

"Way to go!"

Hinata stared curiously at the pink-haired woman's winking face. _Congratulations? For what?_ She blinked, and was about to ask further when she felt a warm rough palm grab her hand.

"Time to go, Hinata-chan! We're already late."

"Hai!"

* * *

 _"Naruto! You PERVERT!"_ _Pervert?_ His old teammate's angry shout rung through his head.

The blond sighed, feeling frustrated and slightly ashamed. He would never be a pervert like Ero-sennin. So, why? Why would Sakura-chan accuse him of such a thing? And to his precious friend Hinata-chan?! He would never, ever do such a thing…would he? His vision blurred as he shook his head violently, furiously trying to expel the vulgar, offending thought. He would never!

Said woman observed him curiously as he walked along beside her to the Hokage tower, still refusing to release her hand. Though, she didn't mind. She'd grown accustom to his habit and, after the initial shock, even loved it. His touch was…comforting. Just like his presence, everything about him was warm and comforting. She dared herself to hold his hand a little tighter, testing herself as she gripped his already tight hold, running her thumb soothingly against the top of his hand.

This stirred him. He broke away from his aggravating thoughts, giving her a sweet smile before going back to staring straight ahead. She let out a soft sigh, hoping whatever was bothering him wasn't too serious.

Naruto couldn't place it; he wasn't even sure there would be a name for it. But, whenever he saw Hinata, his day instantly brightened. It was so easy to be around her, to be open around her, to be vulnerable with her. She was his precious friend. Her welcoming smile flashed across his eyes. One of his precious people, his precious person.

He thought about it harder. Whenever she was around him, he found himself wanting to reach out to her, to touch her—not that way! He stopped again, holding his head to stop the dizzying pounding from shaking it around yet again.

"Naruto-kun?" She voiced her concern hesitantly, not wanting to disturb him. "Daijōbu?"

"Daijōbu, Hinata-chan!" He laughed too loudly, weakly throwing back a smile. "It's nothing…" He trailed off.

It was nothing! Pale lavender eyes stared into his animated face as his cheeks suddenly puffed out. If not for her worry, the kunoichi would have laughed out loud. A dramatic pause followed before he deflated once again. The woman's lips tugged further into a frown. The silence grew longer as Naruto dug deeper. He had thought nothing of it because it just happened.

He had always craved the feeling of another human's touch. Not the violent kind of surface feeling that came from sparring. Not the shared heartbeat, the intimate painful feeling that came from fists aimed to kill.

The feeling, the touch he saw kids at the playground receive from their mothers before heading home after a long day of play. The touch he received for the first time, in his life, when Iruka-sensei hugged him after sacrificing himself for the safety of his student. The feeling he received when Sakura-chan hugged him for the first time after an especially dangerous mission. All these big and small moments he had experienced and learned that meant so much, along with all the other big and small moments he would never experience or learn that would mean so much. He had no family, but the village was his family.

He guessed this was why, whenever he got the chance, he couldn't help himself from reaching out to receive her touch. He couldn't help himself from scooping up her lone, outstretched hand. He couldn't help himself from throwing an arm around her welcoming shoulders. He couldn't help himself because…he wanted to cherish every second, every touch, every shared feeling with her.

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 **That's it for now, what's to come? Please review! :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**T-T I'm sorry! Please forgive meeee...** **Finals aren't over for another week, so I had to study. Please know, I try to pump out chapters as quickly as possible without compromising the integrity of the story...That being said, I've never felt so flattered/scared. xD I hope I can take your urgency as a high compliment.**

 **Thank you so much for all your favorites, follows, and reviews! Your support means so much to me. One of the biggest challenges I've had so far with this story is my branching away from the original timeline. I had a very solid outline walking in but somehow got side-tracked on the way. However, there was great advantage in this too. :) Bear with me as I work to bring us back to center.**

 **Much love! Please enjoy.**

* * *

"Ohayo, Kakashi-sensei, you called?" The loud bang of the door made Hinata flinch as she stepped forward, alongside the still too distant shinobi. She shook off the feeling of loneliness that had taken the place of his hand only moments ago, replacing it with professional commitment to the job at hand.

The silver-haired Hokage observed the two with a pleasant yet seemingly disinterested stare, yanking a thumb out to his right. Two pairs of eyes traveled to what appeared to be a small booster seat with a crudely done sign. Focusing in on the scribbled letters, one could make out the title: "Little Hokage".

" **EEHhH**?!" Air rushed out the two. Naruto's eyes bugged out past his nose as he whipped around, stabbing an accusatory finger at the masked smile of the Sixth. "NOT THIS AGAIN! YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY BE SERIOUS?! KAKASHI-SENSEI, NOT COOL!" Said man quirked a brow, chin rested casually atop his knuckles, waiting with silent amusement.

Arms flailing, the blond caught ear of a quiet muffled laugh sneaking out beside him. The point of his finger immediately found her puffed cheek as her panicked eyes flew up to his, giving away her futile struggle to remain composed. "HINATA-CHAN. YOU, TOO!?"

"G-gomen!" Tears prickled her eyes and her cheeks pinked with the effort as she held in another round of giggles. _She's a second away from losing it_ , Naruto thought. The corners of his mouth twitched. He'd never admit it, but her reaction had him biting back a smile. Reluctantly, he turned back to the expectant man seated at the desk in front of them and stared. _Break,_ he willed. A long minute passed. He stared harder. He would _not_ break. Naruto would _not_ be the one to lose here. A bead of sweat trickled down his neck as another minute passed. Finally, an ignorant crow's call interrupted the expired silence.

"…FINE." He huffed.

Resolving himself to the fact that there would be no use resisting, the blond stood taller, stomping his way to the small seat before plopping down hard. The seat, being already ten sizes too small, was dwarfed further by his large frame. An image of a spider popped into the ex-heiress's head as she pressed her hands harder against another fit of giggles. From above, Kakashi offered the blond a friendly wave to which he received a vexed scowl.

"Now then…"

The air cleared as the Hyuga smiled, renewed and relieved to see her favorite shinobi once again back to his usual lively self. Kakashi observed her adoring, soft expression.

"Hinata-san, it would seem your younger sister's birthday is coming up. Congratulations."

"Hai." She replied, the light in her eyes moving up to meet him. "Arigatou gozaimasu." She bowed, smiling again, ignoring the younger man's persistent pout.

"I've been told there will be a celebration." An odd, sobering pause followed.

"Hai." She blinked, attempting to gage his mysterious expression.

"As well as a ceremony." The hokage's charcoal eyes bore into hers.

A short second passed as the words registered, her breath catching in her throat. Round, disbelieving eyes blinked back before catching the climate of the room. "H-hai." Naruto's heart thudded to a sudden stop at the foreignness of her response. His stomach dropped at the sight of her newly haunted look.

"Ne—" He began.

"That will be all then?" The Sixth offered a broad yet polite smile.

"NANI?! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO CALLED US IN HERE—" Hinata didn't hear the crunch of the small chair as it flipped across the Hokage's office. She saw but she didn't see the rest of Naruto's tirade, her thoughts carrying her elsewhere. Sharp nails dug into her hot palms as she waited.

"We're leaving!" He was finished with this! Wasting time…Naruto wrestled his eyes away from the distracted Hyuga, dying to hear her heavy thoughts. Naruto was use to his thoughts running a thousand miles per hour, jumping from one idea to the next but her absence made him strangely uncomfortable. It fully occupied his mind, leaving little room for anything else. Like, an itch he couldn't scratch. He needed to figure out what the problem was and how he could help his friend and he was going to do just that. However, right as he was about to grab the ex-heiress's hand, a cool voice stopped him.

"And, Naruto?" The exasperated blond twitched, reluctantly swerving around to face him.

"Hai?"

"A Hokage has to make tough choices."

The blond blinked stupidly at his old sensei before blowing out a puff of air. "Hai, hai." He waved an arm dismissively behind him and muttered his goodbyes as he took his exit, dragging the distracted Hyuga in tow. He was going to pull the answers out of her if it killed him, he thought. Or, at least he had planned to until the two were met at the entrance of the tower by formal escort sent by the Hyuga compound. Ko's eyes showered the petite girl with concern as the taller of the two guards stared her down with cool indifference. Naruto's hair stood on end. Suspicion-fueled adrenaline pumped through his veins. He didn't like the way they looked at her, like two sides of the same coin. Bad news. Hinata's head jerked up in surprise as she felt him protectively shove her behind him.

"Nani?" Her soft voice echoed out behind his back. The taller of the two guards narrowed his eyes at the blond's defiant stance.

"The clan elders have requested a meeting with Hinata-sama." Naruto's scowl dug deeper at the younger man's superior tone. He began ticking off the many ways in which he could not-so-kindly tell the guy to fuck off. He was about to try out one of his favorites when the gentle tenor of the older man interrupted.

"Hinata-sama," Ko's gentle arm reached out for the ex-heiress. "There are urgent matters of the upmost importance which you must attend to…" The kindness in his patient manner was undeniable, which made Naruto all the more anxious. His muscles tensed at the sudden pressure of Hinata's gentle touch as she pulled him aside.

"Gomenasai, Naruto-kun." She said, grounding herself in the confidence and strength she had built over years of dedication to the will of the shinobi. "We'll have to catch up another time." He immediately opened his mouth to protest but her comforting smile caught him off guard. She had to know that he wasn't going to give up without a fight.

"Oi—" She silenced him with an unexpected hug, a short seemingly casual gesture between close friends. But, only from his rigid embrace was she able to communicate the reassuring words in a low voice only he could hear:

"Please don't worry, Naruto-kun. I promise to answer all questions later." She pulled back quickly, giving him another sweet smile before taking the older man's hand. Within a moment, they were gone. Worry whittled away at Konoha's future hokage as he was left to stare at the now empty spot. _She had promised_ , he thought. _She had promised._

* * *

To say Hinata was scared would have been a severe understatement, the young Hyuga was terrified. Now that the pieces had all fallen into place, she should have felt ashamed to be so surprised by it but the thought just hadn't occurred to her. Somehow, in a fool's ruse of invincibility, she had privileged herself above all past heirs to the branch family. Ashamed was right, she felt humiliated. Her fists clenched painfully in her lap as she absorbed the full clan's stares of betrayal mixed with pity. She actively worked to ignore the pained sobs of her younger sister which filled the large meeting room. _Please don't cry, Hanabi-chan._ She willed, resisting the urge to run over and pull her into a hug. _Please, don't…_

"Hinata-sama, you understand what must be done here?"

A flood of memories played past her eyes: a younger version of herself, kneeling pitifully in front of her father and the main branch, swearing to dedicate her life to the safety and prosperity of her sister's; a gentle graze of her cousin's calloused fingers, carefully nudging a small cup into her open palm; years later, full of strenuous training and abandoning of her shackling insecurities, becoming a proud representation of the Hyuga's true power in the 4th great shinobi war; a more recent image of her father, the lines around his aged face gently turning upward as he truly praised her for the first time, acknowledging her dedication and growing skill. In all senses of the word, Hinata would become Hanabi's protector.

"Hai." Her response came out like a whisper. The ghost of her late uncle's animalistic pain clung to her insides, her cousin's younger hate-filled eyes and hot tears plaguing her. Faces, she saw faces of the branch everywhere, full of anger, full of loss.

Hiashi refused to watch the exchange. Sitting rigidly and maintaining his composure, he instead, from behind, chose to stare past the scene of the elder and his daughter.

Her heart thumped loud and wet in her chest as she could almost feel the cold, calculated strike of Neji's fingers. Her dear cousin, one of her most precious people, once a bitter stranger. She bit down hard on her bottom lip, picturing his familiar protective gaze, his soft expression. The definition of goodness, he was her family, her teacher, her protector. Her eyes fluttered closed as she felt his shy answering embrace, his humble welcoming smile. He had sacrificed everything. He had given his life for hers, for his village, he died a true hero. She re-saw the fading light in his eyes, so pointedly caressing her. And, he had once wanted her dead...That was the power of this mark, to corrupt the purest, most loving heart.

"This will be the end of the two separate branches, a symbolic merging of two becoming one."

She paused, force swallowing her own spit before reclaiming her voice once again and addressing solely the members of the branch. Her eyes met each stolid face, each marked forehead, each look of pained hunger. Tears pooled at her rims as she shared their aching need for closure.

She shakily began, "I understand forgiveness is something which cannot be asked for. I understand, being born into the main branch, I can never fully appreciate the extent of your pain and the pain of those lost under this misguided practice." The usually soft edge of her voice found new sharpness in its determination to deliver meaning. "But," she continued, "I hope instead I may ask to be the holder of your pain." Steady eyes continued to hold her gaze. "I acknowledge that I am weak; but, I hope I may be strong enough to ask to share your pain, to carry the weight of your burden, to give power and mobility to those struggling to move forward." Her chest swelled with each word.

"If that wish is at all possible with my sacrifice, I, Hyuga Hinata, happily pledge myself to the former branch family as the Hyuga clan's last marked member."

* * *

 **That's it for now, what's to come? Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello, everyone! :D Finals are officially over! Ahh, praying I didn't fail stat...T.T Oh well, nothing to do about it now! :'D Anywho! Your follows, your favorites, your reviews, thank you. I can't believe it, we're almost to 100! Ah! It's been a dream of mine to hit 100+ reviews. *fingers crossed***

 **Important Note: You're all so talented.** **If anyone would be interested in creating a fanart of their favorite moment in this story or of a naruhina moment they feel was inspired by or would fit into this story, I would be overjoyed and honored. Of course, the artist would be credited as well as have a chapter written in their honor...possible bonus chapter included? Still working out the details...**

 **Please include your username or name you would like to be recognized by.**

 **Links to cover art can be PMed or emailed to me.**

 **Without further ado, here's chapter 8 (part one). Please enjoy!**

* * *

 _"Hey, if you're a Hyuga, show us your Byakugan!"_

 _"If you can't, don't show your face around here!"_

 _"Your eyes are really creepy."_

 _"I bet you're actually a monster, right?"_

 _"You, Byakugan monster!"_

 _"Hey, stop it!"_

 _"What's your problem?"_

 _"I'm Uzumaki Naruto! I'm the future hokage!"_

 _"The 'future hokage'? Are you some kind of moron?"_

 _"Prepare yourself! Kagebunshin no jutsu!"_

 _"Take that!"_

 _"We really taught this guy a lesson!"_

 _"What's up with this 'future hokage'?"_

 _"For being so cocky, let's take care of his red scarf!"_

 _"It's not over yet! This time I will bet on an awesome jutsu!"_

 _"…"_

 _"Are you okay!?"_

 _"It's nothing."_

 _"Your scarf. Those boys they—I'm sorry."_

 _"Don't worry about it."_

 _"Ano, wait…"_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"Arigatō gozaimashita"_

 _"Heh, see you!"_

Again? Re-occurring images from the distant memory jumbled around the thought. The emptiness of the room felt lonely as his far away eyes stared up through the chipped ceiling tiles. He woke up from the same dream again, this was the third time in the same week. He grimaced, re-seeing the girl's heartbroken expression from a few days before.

* * *

*** **days before** **

"Gomen, Naruto-kun." The full moon had created streaks of light in the late-hour's gentle snow fall which filled the deserted training ground. His nose crinkled against the left over burning feeling; in an intake of breath, at the end of another barrage of unanswered questions, he'd accidentally sucked up a flurry of the little bastards. He offhandedly sneezed into his arm, rubbing the end of his nose into his shoulder before refocusing on the petite girl in front of him.

After what had felt like hours of pacing and hundreds of failed attempts at badgering information out of the sixth, Naruto had finally gotten a hold of her—figuratively and literally. Two large hands squeezed around her shoulders, having slapped themselves there only minutes after he had found her, cementing her in place. But still, in all the time it had taken them to travel from the Hyuga residence, through the slumbering village, and into the depths of the training grounds, she had remained largely silent, refusing to look at him. He frowned deeper. What was she apologizing for? He was the one who forced her out the door at such a late hour. It would entirely be him to blame if she were caught. He didn't like when she apologized for something that was obviously his fault.

"Neh, Hinata-chan…" His voice died away when her head suddenly whipped up, new determination flooding her pale lavender eyes, burrowing into him. He watched the pink spot the cold left behind on her nose, feeling himself instantly relax at the familiar softness of her voice.

"Let me be selfish one last time."

"Selfish—" His soft inquiry was cut short by the abrupt light pressure of her lips, pressing gently against his. His eyes went wide, his circuits shorting. The new, overwhelming sensation didn't allow for anything else. Air caught in his throat, he didn't dare breathe. He was frozen, immobilized by her warmth as it moved in deeper.

 _Why?_ His lips tingled against hers, the smell of her hair hugging his nose. Everything around them went dark. He was all just a feeling. It was all so strange, he had almost wanted to laugh. How did he end up here? It felt weird and wet, and soft, and hot, and awkward, and incredible. _This feeling._ His body was so aware of hers. They both stood there, statuesque, hesitantly embracing the foreign experience. But then, suddenly, out of nowhere, they came alive; her lips started to shyly explore his, his hands begged to grab hers, to tug her in closer. Somewhere deep inside him, in a once vacant place he had never managed to discover on his own before, he felt the solitary tug of a thread.

 _Why?_ The surrounding world hazed over, no matter how much or how hard the bright blues of his eyes fought to stay present, the boy was lost.

 _Fear._ He had never felt this kind of fear before. Absently, he caught the low answering chuckle of the tailed beast resonating within its chambers. His eyes flickered, his cheeks burning—whether from embarrassment or something else, he couldn't tell.

Such a simple contact, yet he felt her everywhere. Like…her heart was inside of him. Like, his heart was inside of her. He blinked, feeling her shaking as well. The thin material covering his chest scrunched tighter between her clenched fists.

Her knuckles were painted hot white, signaling her fear. She had been so uncertain, _Kami-sama_ , she would always be so uncertain. But this moment…this moment, right now, was certain. Her eyes screwed tighter, courage pouring into her. Her fingers loosened as they bravely traveled upward, gently cupping his face. Her thumbs tickled as they brushed delicately against his skin, cherishing every second of him.

 _Let go._

These feelings would always be certain. She stood up on her tippy-toes to meet him further. Her mouth digging deeper.

She loved him. She was in love with him. She would always, always love him, no matter what happened.

But even so, he didn't move to kiss her back.

And even so, he didn't love her back.

 _Naruto-kun._

She hiccupped, a small puff of air condensing between them. Breaking off the chaste one-sided kiss, she moved away. Indigo hair mixed with blond broke apart as she stepped back, her long strands blanketing her eyes. Slowly, she breathed, her hands dropping from his face as she steeled herself, refusing to meet his eyes if not for just a moment. Just a moment to collect herself, to be strong enough to say what had to be said. The blankness of the snow reflected aimlessly out his wide, unblinking eyes.

 _Naruto-kun, to you, all things are important. These important things, they're all equal to you. So, if this is true, then maybe…I'm just as important too._ A rattled breath worked its way out her still buzzing lips as she looked up to face him.

 _Painful._ The look in his eyes made her flinch. She hadn't seen that look since a much darker time.

"Hinata-chan..." The blues of his eyes swam deeper as they melted, his arms awkwardly slipping off their once familiar home on her shoulders. He was confused. He was severely at a loss, grieving for something or someone he couldn't name.

 _Why?_

Through all of this, Hinata could only see his eyes, not his reason. And his pain…it was almost too much to bear. But, she had to continue on, she had to be selfish for just one last time.

 _Naruto-kun. If that will become your happiness…_

"Naruto-kun."

 _I'll send you off with a smile._

"I love you. I've always loved you. I want—I want to walk beside you forever. Because…"

 _Because that's the last thing I can do._

"Because I'm in love with you, Naruto-kun!"

"Hinata, I can't."

*** **days before** ***

* * *

Damn it! He rounded his fist, punching a hole into the rusted bed springs once again. He couldn't stand it! The bed squeaked in protest as the blond shinobi sat up, yanking an angry hand through his hair. He was tired, very tired. Heavy bags hung from his eyes as he stared out the small window. The sun rose serenely despite the clouded morning sky. After a long while, he felt his eyes flutter shut. Slowing his breaths, he let the nagging memories take over him.

* * *

 _Before she knew it, the ex-heiress found herself walking side-by-side, down the busy paved streets of Konoha, with one of her favorite people: Konoha's Number One Knuckle-headed Ninja—Uzumaki Naruto. She dared herself to drift a little closer, still staying at a polite distance._ _She couldn't believe her luck. Right when she had been feeling terrible, he always managed to pop right up, always able to help her pick herself back up. She felt herself smile, breathing in the cool air and tightly wrapping her arms around herself. The cold made it feel more real._

 _As for Naruto, he was happy to see his friend smile. Her mood seemed immensely brighter. It was good to be around her, he thought._

* * *

It _was_ good to be around her, he thought. He couldn't imagine not being around her. Yet, here he was, the coward that he was, he had run away.

* * *

 _"But that's the problem, Hinata-chan. I'm not sure I'll ever really know what that kind of love is, let alone find anyone who could be crazy enough to feel that sort of way about me. So, why bother getting down about something that's just not meant for you, you know?"_

 _Her brows pinched, the set line of her mouth giving away her firm disagreement. She worried for him often, even endlessly, she could admit that. She couldn't, however, stop it. It was just something she had always done. She worried if he had eaten enough, if he'd been too left alone, if he'd dressed warm enough. But that worry was a familiar friend compared to the outraged sick worry she felt now. Resolve ate away her inhibitions like acid, something had to be done._

 _"You're wrong."_

* * *

 _Hinata._ Having had enough of the paste-colored walls, he'd left again-letting his feet carry him back to the same shaded spot. The same comforting place once filled with warmth and cinnamon buns, the same heart-stopping place he had once feared she was dead, the same guilt-ridden place he had made her cry. Caught, he couldn't pull his eyes away from the beautiful indigo-haired girl. His throat wrenched as he watched her strike, again and again, bloodying the training post with her unending efforts. "All this time I…Gomenasai, Hinata-chan." He finally turned away, unable to bear it.

* * *

 _The bottom of his shoe dragged as he slowed to a stop. That was…That was just something that wasn't meant for him. Shaking his head, short blond spikes tousled through the air, ridding himself of such sticky thoughts. He continued onward. Besides, he thought, before you have a family, you have to have love. He wasn't sure he even knew how to have love-that kind of love_.

* * *

It didn't make sense for Hinata to love a guy like him. Of course, he knew she would never lie about something like this but he just couldn't make himself believe it...If only he could see it, if only he could fully understand the weight of her feelings for him. But he wasn't her, he truly didn't know how she felt or what those feelings meant or what they were like to feel. There wasn't a genjutsu that poofed him into her existence, that made him audience to her memories and to her experience.

 _Kaachan_ , _Touchan_ …He couldn't comprehend it. He couldn't make himself understand it. Sharp nails dug into his palms but no accompanying pain followed. She said she loved him, she really actually loved him. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't…he couldn't possibly love her too.

* * *

 _"MORON!" He jumped, blue eyes widening. "Of course I knew that!" Feelings of relief and fear crashed over him simultaneously as he shrunk back, arms held protectively above his chest. She twitched, fist awakened by his stupidity. "I meant AFTERWARD!" Her voice rang louder in the silence of the question._

 _"Afterward?"_

 _She watched as he slowly began to deflate, almost a little sorry she had asked such a question. Lost, the blues of his eyes swam deeper. Finally, he replied with a soft murmur._

 _"I…I don't know."_

* * *

 **That's it for now, what's to come? ;D Please Review!**


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